Psalm 78:1-36
King James Version
78 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
9 The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
11 And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.
12 Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
15 He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
19 Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
20 Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?
21 Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
25 Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full.
26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.
27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
28 And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
29 So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;
30 They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,
31 The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.
33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
34 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and enquired early after God.
35 And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
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Psalm 78:1-36
1599 Geneva Bible
78 1 He showeth how God of his mercy chose his Church of the posterity of Abraham, 8 Reproaching the stubborn rebellion of their fathers, that the children might not only understand. 11 That God of his free mercy made his Covenant with their ancestors, 17 But also seeing them so malicious and perverse, might be ashamed, and so turn wholly to God. In this Psalm the holy Ghost hath comprehended, as it were, the sum of all God’s benefits, to the intent the ignorant and gross people might see in few words the effect of the whole histories of the Bible.
A Psalm to give [a]instruction, committed to Asaph.
1 Hear my [b]doctrine, O my people: incline your ears unto the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will declare high sentences of old.
3 Which we have heard and known, and our [c]fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children, but to the generation to come we will show the praise of the Lord, his power also, and his wonderful works that he hath done:
5 How he established a [d]testimony in Jacob, and ordained a Law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should teach their children:
6 That the [e]posterity might know it, and the children, which should be born, should stand up, and declare it to their children.
7 That they might [f]set their hope on God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
8 And not to be as their [g]fathers, a disobedient and rebellious generation: a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful unto God.
9 The children of [h]Ephraim being armed and shooting with the bow, turned back in the day of battle.
10 They kept not the Covenant of God, but refused to walk in his Law,
11 And forgate his acts, and his wonderful works that he had showed them.
12 He did marvelous things in the sight of their [i]fathers in the land of Egypt; even in the field of Zoan.
13 (A)He divided the Sea, and led them through: he made also the waters to stand as an heap.
14 (B)In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
15 (C)He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as of the great depths.
16 (D)He brought floods also out of the stony rock, so that he made the waters to descend like the rivers.
17 Yet they [j]sinned still against him, and provoked the Highest in the wilderness,
18 And tempted God in their hearts in [k]requiring meat for their lust.
19 (E)They spake against God also, saying, Can God [l]prepare a table in the wilderness?
20 (F)Behold, he smote the rock, that the water gushed out, and the streams overflowed: can he give bread also? or prepare flesh for his people?
21 Therefore the Lord heard, and was angry, and the (G)fire was kindled in Jacob, and also wrath came upon Israel,
22 Because they believed not in God, and [m]trusted not in his help.
23 Yet he had commanded the [n]clouds above, and had opened the doors of heaven,
24 And had rained down Manna upon them for to eat, and had given them of the wheat of heaven.
25 (H)Man did eat the bread of Angels: he sent them meat enough.
26 He caused the [o]East wind to pass in the heaven: and through his power he brought in the South wind.
27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowl as the sand of the sea.
28 And he made it fall in the midst of their camp, even round about their habitations.
29 So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their desire.
30 They were not turned from their [p]lusts, but the meat was yet in their mouths,
31 When the wrath of God came even upon them, and slew [q]the strongest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
32 For all this they [r]sinned still, and believed not his wondrous works.
33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years hastily.
34 And when he [s]slew them, they sought him, and they returned, and sought God early.
35 And they remembered that God was their strength, and the most high God their redeemer.
36 But they flattered him with their mouth, and dissembled with him with their tongue.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Psalm 78:1 Read Ps. 32.
- Psalm 78:1 The Prophet under the name of a teacher calleth the people his, and the doctrine his, as Paul calleth the Gospel his, whereof he was but the preacher, as Rom. 2:16 and 16:25.
- Psalm 78:3 Which were the people of God.
- Psalm 78:5 By the testimony, and law, he meaneth the law written, which they were commanded to teach their children, Deut. 6:7.
- Psalm 78:6 He showeth wherein the children should be like their fathers: that is, in maintaining God’s pure Religion.
- Psalm 78:7 He showeth wherein the use of this doctrine standeth: in faith, in the meditation of God’s benefits, and in obedience.
- Psalm 78:8 Though these fathers were the seed of Abraham and the chosen people, yet he showeth by their rebellion, provocation, falsehood, and hypocrisy, that the children ought not to follow their examples.
- Psalm 78:9 By Ephraim he meaneth also the rest of the tribes, because they were most in number: whose punishment declareth that they were unfaithful to God, and by their multitude and authority had corrupt all others.
- Psalm 78:12 He proveth that not only the posterity but also their forefathers were wicked and rebellious to God.
- Psalm 78:17 Their wicked malice could be overcome by no benefits, which were great and many.
- Psalm 78:18 Then to require more than is necessary, and to separate God’s power from his will, is to tempt God.
- Psalm 78:19 Thus when we give place to sin, we are moved to doubt of God’s power, except he will always be ready to serve our lust.
- Psalm 78:22 That is, in his fatherly providence, whereby he careth for his, and provideth sufficiently.
- Psalm 78:23 So that they had that, which was necessary and sufficient: but their lust made them to covet that which they knew God had denied them.
- Psalm 78:26 God used the means of the wind to teach them that all elements were at his commandment, and that no distance or place could let his working.
- Psalm 78:30 Such is the nature of concupiscence, that the more it hath, the more it lusteth.
- Psalm 78:31 Though others were not spared, yet chiefly they suffered, which trusted in their strength against God.
- Psalm 78:32 Thus sin by continuance maketh man insensible, so that by no plagues they can be amended.
- Psalm 78:34 Such was their hypocrisy, that they sought unto God for fear of punishment, though in their heart they loved him not.
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